Facllitating the mechanical transfer of stitches from needles of knitting-machines



L. N. D. WILLIAMS. LTRANSFER 0F STITCHES FR OM NEEDLESIJF KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATIOI'I FILED I'Efl. 6.1917.

Pgtented June 22, 1920.

FACILITATING THE MECHANICA 2 i z i z 1 z i z I 4 4 i 4 4 Li 6 6 6 Z 6 a a a .3

2 i z I i z 1 z J. 2

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS N. D. 'WILLIAMS, OF OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA.

FACILITATING THE MECHANICAL TRANSFER OF STlTCHES FROM NEEDLES OF KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 22, 1920.

To a HILOII'I it mm con ern:

lie it known t an. I, Loris l. l). \ViL nuns. a citizen of the United States, residing in ()gontz, Pennsylvania, have invcnted certain improvements in l acilitating the Mechanical 'lll'ansfcr of Stitches from Needles of l(llllll1i; {-i\liltllllltiof which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to facilitate the removal of stitches from the needles of a knitting machine by means of transfer points which enter said stitches. This object I attain by expanding the bases of the stitches and thereby increasing the area of the openings for the entrance of the transfer points.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is an exaggerated representation of a number of adjoining needles of a knitting machine, the intervening web holders and the corresponding stitches of the termi nal course and of two preceding courses, the web holders being shown by full lines in their retracted or releasing position in respect to the sinker wales of the web, and by dotted lines in their normally projected or retr ning position. and

1 1g. 2 is a similar view showing the web holders projected in advance of their normal retaining position and illustrating the expansion of the bases of the terminal stitches of the web which is thereby effected.

In the drawing, a series of adjoining needles of a knitting machine are I'GPIQSGIlted at 1 and the alternating web holders at 2, stitches of successive courses of adjoining wales of the web being represented at 3. 4- and 5. the Stitches 5 being the terminal stitches which are still upon the needles.

In the normal operation of the machine the web holders are retracted to the position shown by full lines in Fig. l, and then projected as shown by dotted lines until their hooks overlap the sinker wales 6 hetwecn the stitches 5 and thereby prevent the rise of said stitches with the needles wher the latter are raised so as to clear their latches and present the hooks of the needles in position to receive the fresh knitting yarn.

Under such circumstances the sinker wales (S are not sub ected to tension and the stitches 5 hug the needles 1 to such an extent that the bases of the stitches available for the entrance of the transfer points are of limited area, as shown in Fig. 1, so that in effecting transfer of the stitches it he ipicntly happens that one or more of the transfer points will fail to enter its appropriate stitch, and the latter will be dropped in making the transfer.

I had, however, that if the web holders 2 are, as shown in. Fig. 2, projected to an abnormal extent after the terminal course of stitches has been drawn by the needles 1, but before it has been cast therefrom, tension imparted to the sinker wales of'the web which are engaged by the web holders will cause said stitch bases to be expanded laterally, as also shown in Fig. 2 thus materially increasing the area for t 8 entrance of each transfer point and correspondingly decreasing the chance of dropping stitches because of the failure of the transfer points to properly enter the same.

Such expansion of the bases of the stitches upon the needles causes a correponding spreading and shortening of the loops of the stitches l of the preceding course but this is readily permissible as such stitches are not under tension.

I find that even if, after the stitches assume the position shown in Fig. 2, the web holders are withdrawn from their abnormully projected position the stitches 4 and i; will not again resume the relations shown in Fig. l. but will retain substantially the relations shown in Fig. 2, at least for such length of time as may be necessary to insert the transfer points into the stitches 5 hehind the needles 1, this being especially true if the web holders are a number of times retracted to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1, and, after each such retraction, are abnormally pro'ected to the position shown in Fig. 2, before engaging the transfer points with the stitches.

It will be evident the same effect will be produced by moving the needles backwardly in respect to fixed web holders, as by moving the web hnlders forwardly in respect to abnormal tension to the intervening SlIlKCL' fixed needles. wales, after said terminal course of stitches 1 claim: has been drawn by the needles but before 10 The mode herein described of preparing it has been discharged therefrom. 5 the stitches of the terminal course of a In testimony whereof I have signed my knitted web for the entrance of transfer nameto this s ecification. points, said mode consisting in imparting L UIS N. l). WILLIAMS. 

